Why Alec Pierce returning for Colts at midseason is no guarantee

The Indianapolis Colts are 0-2 to begin the 2026 NFL season, and things took a turn for the worse in the middle of the Week 2 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Alec Pierce, coming off surgery this offseason, aggravated that same issue and is now expected to miss a lot of time. The Colts are holding out hope for a midseason return, highlighting how serious this injury is.

But as Ian Rapoport revealed on The Pat McAfee Show, there is a real concern that Pierce isn't even back at the midseason mark. There's a chance that Pierce missed much more than just a month or so this season.

Alec Pierce might not return at midseason mark for Colts

"The hope is that Alec Pierce is back midseason, but there's definitely no guarantee," Rapoport said. "... When surgery is a possibility and you elect to rehab there's always a chance that it doesn't go great."

"The hope is that Alec Pierce is back midseason but there's definitely no guarantee..

When surgery is a possibility and you elect to rehab there's always a chance that it doesn't go great"

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This is not the kind of update that Colts fans will like to hear about their $114 million wide receiver. Pierce's return might not come for over a month, or it could keep him out deep into the season, if not for all of 2026.

Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, and recent free-agent signing Darius Slayton will have to make up for Pierce's absence, which might last longer than expected.

While the hope, for now, is that Pierce returns midseason, it seems clear that a longer stint on the sideline is possible for Pierce.

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Avoiding surgery, which likely would've ended his 2026 season, is a risk Pierce is taking to try to get back onto the field this season.

It's encouraging that he even has a chance at coming back this season, despite surgery that'd likely end his season being one option for Pierce this year.

But Colts fans should be well aware that a midseason return is not a guarantee whatsoever. Even if Pierce doesn't have the surgery and rehabs to try and come back in 2026, his return might not come until much later in the season.

There's a chance his return to the field doesn't even happen this season. This is a terrible situation for Pierce and the Colts to find themselves in, as his playing status is up in the air as he begins this rehab process.

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